Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site amdahl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!amdcad!amdahl!ems
From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Next generation shuttle: electrically assisted take-off?
Message-ID: <2741@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Feb-86 13:16:00 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2741
Posted: Tue Feb  4 13:16:00 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Feb-86 20:22:11 EST
References: <8602010854.AA02457@s1-b.arpa> <328@vger.UUCP>
Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
Lines: 25
Summary: French Guianna (sp?) *IS* France...

In article <328@vger.UUCP>, al@vger.UUCP ( Informatix) writes:
> 
> > For an example, let's suppose this is Mount Kenya, a 5 Km
> > tall mountain on the equator (the most efficient place to launch
> > from, at least if you want equatorial orbits.)
> 
> Africa is pretty unstable politically, Otrag  (Ortag?) had to abandon
> launch attempts in Africa as the result of a revolution.  In addition,
> you need a lot of support services to launch satellites, better stick
> to well developed industial countries, although Ariane seems to have
> done OK in South America.  Also, a nearby seaport is extremely useful
> for many payloads.
> 
A small point:  French Guianna (or however it is spelt...) is an
anomally in the world of colonies.  It is legally a 'District' of
France.  To the french, districts are somewhat like states are to
the US.  French Guianna *is part of France*; and therefor part of a
well developed industrial country.  (Unless some political change
has taken place in the dozen or so years since I learned of this
state of affairs...)

-- 
E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.